Asthma

Definition

Asthma is a disease that causes the airways of the lungs to swell and narrow, leading to wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing.

Alternative Names

Bronchial asthma

Causes

Asthma is caused by inflammation (swelling) in the airways. When an asthma attack occurs, the lining of the air passages swells and the muscles surrounding the airways become tight. This reduces the amount of air that can pass through the airway.

In persons who have sensitive airways, asthma symptoms can be triggered by breathing in substances called allergens or triggers.

Common asthma triggers include:

Animals (pet hair or dander)

Dust mites

Certain medicines (aspirin and other NSAIDS)

Changes in weather (most often cold weather)

Chemicals in the air or in food

Exercise

Mold

Pollen

Respiratory infections, such as the common cold

Strong emotions (stress)

Tobacco smoke

Many people with asthma have a personal or family history of allergies, such as hay fever (allergic rhinitis) or eczema. Others have no history of allergies.

Symptoms

Most people with asthma have attacks separated by symptom-free periods. Some people have long-term shortness of breath with episodes of increased shortness of breath. Either wheezing or a cough may be the main symptom.

Asthma attacks can last for minutes to days, and can become dangerous if the airflow is severely blocked.

These are also called maintenance or control medicines. They are used to prevent symptoms in people with moderate to severe asthma. You must take them every day for them to work. Take them even when you feel OK.

Some long-term medicines are breathed in (inhaled), such as steroids and long-acting beta-agonists. Others are taken by mouth (orally). Your doctor will prescribe the right medicine for you.

Keep humidity levels low and fix leaks to reduce the growth of organisms such as mold.

Keep the house clean and keep food in containers and out of bedrooms. This helps reduce the possibility of cockroaches. Body parts and droppings from cockroaches can trigger asthma attacks in some people.

If a person is allergic to an animal that cannot be removed from the home, the animal should be kept out of the bedroom. Place filtering material over the heating outlets to trap animal dander. Change the filter in furnaces and air conditioners often.

Eliminate tobacco smoke from the home. This is the single most important thing a family can do to help someone with asthma. Smoking outside the house is not enough. Family members and visitors who smoke outside carry smoke residue inside on their clothes and hair. This can trigger asthma symptoms. If you smoke, now is a good time to quit.

Avoid air pollution, industrial dust, and irritating fumes as much as possible.

National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Expert Panel Report 3: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma. Rockville, MD. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, US Dept of Health and Human Services; 2007. NIH publication 08-4051. Available at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthgdln.htm. Accessed May 14, 2014.